France head coach Didier Deschamps will not be on the touchline for his team's final World Cup group stage match after the death of his mother, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced on Tuesday. Deschamps has returned to France to attend the funeral and will miss Friday's Group I encounter against Norway, to be played in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

In a statement, the FFF said: "Didier Deschamps will not be able to lead training sessions before the Norway–France match, nor will he be present on the bench for the final Group I game. The coach had the painful experience this morning of learning of the death of his mother." In his absence, long-serving assistant Guy Stéphan will take charge of the squad. Stéphan has worked alongside Deschamps since the latter took over the national team in 2012 and has stepped in before — most notably in May 2022, when Deschamps also left the squad following the death of his father.

Deschamps is expected to rejoin the French camp before the knockout rounds begin. France have already secured their place in the last 32, having beaten Senegal 3–1 and Iraq 3–0. Friday's match against Norway — led by prolific striker Erling Haaland — is effectively a contest for top spot in the group, with both nations already through to the next round.

The match carries additional significance as it is part of Deschamps' final tournament at the helm of the French national side after a 14-year tenure. During that period, he guided France to victory at the 2018 World Cup, but the team fell short in the 2022 World Cup final, losing to Argentina on penalties, and in the Euro 2016 final, where they were beaten by Portugal. His departure will mark the end of an era for French football, making this World Cup a farewell chapter tinged with both personal grief and competitive purpose.